MS ED Talk - Introduction

Episode 0: Introduction to Mississippi ED Talk

March 8, 2017

Let’s face it- when the topic of public education in Mississippi comes up, it’s usually not a very optimistic conversation.
It’s true that Mississippi’s students and schools face many challenges, from high rates of poverty to teacher shortages. But we started wondering- what about all the good things that are happening in Mississippi’s schools every day?
What about the teachers using creative practices in their classrooms? What about the school leaders introducing innovative strategies to their campuses and districts?
And what about the students who are excelling both in and out of the classroom? Who is telling their stories?

Anne Hierholzer Lang and Gabrielle Barrientos, the hosts of Mississippi ED Talk, are taking a deep dive into innovation taking place in Mississippi’s public schools.
Lang and Barrientos both work at the Research and Curriculum Unit, or RCU, a research center located at Mississippi State University. The RCU was founded in 1965, and we’re dedicated to improving education in Mississippi by ensuring that every student graduates ready for college, career, and life.
As part of the RCU’s mission to promote education innovation, this podcast will highlight education-related stories from across Mississippi that you may not be aware of.

Every month, Mississippi ED Talk will explore the innovative people and practices of Mississippi’s public education community.
We’ll bring you interviews with key stakeholders, stories on what’s working in public education, and tips on how to replicate best practices in your own school or community.
In the coming months, we’ll take a look at Mississippi’s new focus on computer science through the new Computer Science for Mississippi pilot program. We’ll explain what this program is, discuss the need for students to learn coding, and talk to some of the pioneers who are putting this new initiative into practice.
We’ll bring you a story about the new year-round school calendar in Corinth and discuss the thinking behind this change and the impact it’s having on students and educators.
And we’ll give you a sneak peek at the RCU’s annual Innovative Institute, which brings together school leaders from across Mississippi to talk about the innovative practices that are working in their schools.
Along the way, we’ll bring you highlights from current research on best practices in education, previews of upcoming events, and interviews with voices from Mississippi’s classrooms.

A new episode will be released at the beginning of each month — subscribe now so you don’t miss out!
We hope you’ll join us on this journey as we learn about the bright spots in Mississippi’s public education landscape and tell stories of the education innovation that is taking place across our state.